Playing with Fire
by RaineOnMe
Summary: Sam’s got a lot of secrets and one of them may just be the key to saving Dean. Unfortunately for Sam, it’s going to come at a high price. Wincest! don't like don't read!
1. Impending Doom

Title: Playing With Fire (1/?)

Fandom: Supernatural

Genre: Drama/Romance

Rating: M

Pairing: Sam/Dean

Spoilers: Season 3

Summery: Sam's got a lot of secrets and one of them may just be the key to saving Dean. Unfortunately for Sam, it's going to come at a high price.

Disclaimer: Sam, Dean, Bella, and Ruby are not mine. Kit, Kail, and Lauran are mine. Casey is also mine but if his real-life counterpart ever found out about him he's liable to break my ribs…again.

AN: This is my first Supernatural fanfic. It is also my first Wincest fanfic, but I have no qualms about booking that ticket to the Special Hell, though I'm fairly sure I already had a seat reserved for various other reasons...

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Part 1: Impending Doom

When the four month mark hits Sam begins to lose all hope. There just didn't seem to be a way to get Dean out of this goddamn contract. Sam had thought they might have gotten it once there, something involving a complicated looking Latin spell and an artifact Sam knew he'd have to sell his left leg and possibly his hand to Bella to get, but that turned out to be a dead end. Sam had watched the last bit of hope in his brother's eyes die and couldn't help but feel his own start to die with it. Still, Sam was a Winchester and they were nothing if not mule-headed about family and/or so-called lost causes, so he continued to look for some hint to an answer.

As it was, the inspiration came from Dean himself, albeit in a rather unintentional kind of way.

They had been driving through the Arizona desert for nearly two hours now and Sam was feeling dejected, hot, and was contemplating whether or not it was possible for a human being to become melted to the seat. They had finished up a case involving a poltergeist in Flagstaff and were now on their way to check out some purported cases of spontaneous combustion in Phoenix. Though, in this heat, Sam was inclined to believe it was entirely possible and in no way supernatural--unless they had taken a wrong turn somewhere and driven into Hell by mistake, but he figured there would have been road signs.

Sam was staring at the Arizona state map with complete disinterest, his mind mulling over the spell he had so desperately wanted to be Dean's salvation. It was a spell to sever a contract alright, unfortunately it was only for the matrimonial kind so, unless the hellhounds were coming to drag Dean off to the altar like some blushing, virgin bride, it was pretty much useless to them.

Though Sam was idly toying with the idea of rewriting it some. That, however, was a bad idea even if you _knew_ what you were doing and chances are it would still blow up in your face. Sam knew that it would most likely end up killing them both--or in the best case leave them with frogs crawling of uncomfortable places. There were stories.

He shuddered at the thought.

"Did you just shiver? 'cause it's like ninety degrees outside and if you're cold you have to be sick and that's not allowed." Dean said, catching sight of the motion.

"I'm not allowed to get sick?" Sam asked, amused.

"Yep," Dean replied brightly. "I absolutely forbid it. You're even more of a whiny bitch when you're sick and I refuse to allow it."

"Jerk," Sam retorted automatically, his mind already drifting back to the spell. "It wasn't a shiver. I was thinking about frogs."

Dean shot him one of those 'dude, what the hell are you on?' looks out if the corner of his eye. "Frogs?" he repeated.

"Mhmmm," Sam confirmed distractedly. "Want to avoid the frogs."

Dean continued to watch him incredulously out of his peripheral vision. "Well, I think we can manage that," he said slowly, trying to decide if Sam had gone crazy before or after the last rest stop. "I imagine we're more likely to run into lizards here anyway." It was best just to play along and get Sam somewhere cool as fast as possible. The heat must have fried his brains, Dean decided.

Lizards.

Sam sucked in an involuntary breath as cat-pupiled blue-gold eyes flickered across his memory.

The answer had been right there all along hadn't it?

There was, of course, a reason he hadn't considered it before; she may be considered neutral in this whole Good and Evil spectrum but that was only because she was more cunning--and likely more powerful--then anyone on either side. Which made her about three times more dangerous in Sam's book. He turned to look at Dean who had finally shifted his attention back to the road as they hit the expected back up of cars entering Phoenix from the north. Time was running out, and she was the only sure thing Sam had to go on. She was dangerous, and Sam was sure it was going to cost him more then the limbs he was going to offer to Bella, but it was very possibly the only way to save Dean's soul.

Lizards. Fuck.

Sam let his head flop back with a stifled groan and tried not to feel like he would be better off chancing the frogs

They checked into the usual No-tell Motel just as morning sizzled into afternoon. _Welcome to Phoenix, Arizona; one of the few places on earth where the shade wants to stand in the shade_, Sam thought grumpily as he peeled himself off of the Impala's seat and trudged into the room. The room was air-conditioned--which was to say that the interior was eighty-five instead of a hundred-and-five--but it wasn't really able to be considered an improvement.

Sam, though, was a bit more preoccupied with his revelation about Dean's problem. He had to figure out a plan, how to get to her and how he was supposed to plead his case effectively before she sent that corpse-eyed freak of hers after him. He hadn't exactly been on the best of terms with her when he last saw her.

He would have felt a lot better if he knew he could have Dean watching his back but there was no way he was letting Dean anywhere near her if he could help it. In fact, it was best if Dean didn't even know about her. That way, if it all went south and she killed him, Dean couldn't try to take her out only to wind up as her newest play thing instead of Hell's new demon-recruit.

Dean was going to be three kinds of pissed when Sam disappeared without a trace again.

"Yo, Sammy! What's going on in that freaky head of yours?" Dean yelled, throwing a pillow at his brother's head.

Sam ducked the projectile and blinked as he re-acquainted himself with the present. "What?"

"I've been talking to you for the last five minutes. You still thinking kinky things about amphibians or what?"

Sam looked at Dean carefully, trying to decide when the heat had fried his brother's brains. "Amphibians?" he asked, utterly confused. "What the hell are you talking about, Dean?"

"Me? You were the one going on about frogs!" Dean said.

"What? Oh. No, I was thinking about that spell you dumbass." Sam replied, with a head-shake.

"Well excuse me for not seeing what that has to do with frogs," Dean snapped, failing to see any sort of connection.

"I was thinking about re-writing it and was going over the possible consequences of it going wrong," Sam tried to explain.

Dean looked only marginally less confused. "Riiiight. So frogs could go wrong?"

Sam made a face, thinking about some of the disasters he'd read about. "Trust me, you don't want to know."

Dean gave him the 'okay, you're fucking fruit loops' look but didn't comment. Instead he flopped down on one of the beds and stretched out. "Fuck if I'm going anywhere in this heat. Lets wait until dark."

Sam nodded in absent-minded agreement and tried not to notice the way the sweat made Dean's skin glisten as he stretched.

He was well aware of the fact that his brother was not the only one with a seat reserved in Hell. At least Dean had gotten his because of something noble, Sam was just a pervert. But Sam had come to terms with that several years ago and was becoming quite adept at ignoring the hell out of it--pardon the pun.

At least he had been until there was this big countdown clock on the time he had left to spend with Dean.

Impending Doom had a way of overriding studied repression, but Sam was making a valiant effort none-the-less.

So, in the spirit of removing said Impending Doom and returning to repressing, Sam hammered out his rather sketchy plan to go visit someone he would have been more then happy to never see again.

Dean was going to kill him when he got back--assuming she didn't do it first--for disappearing when had so little time left and Sam was reasonably sure might never forgive him for it even if it did all turn out okay. Dean never liked finding out Sam had been keeping secrets from him, especially considering Sam's secrets tend to be rather spectacular and mildly life-threatening.

It was him being Sammy Psychic Wonder that had started this whole mess in the first place. Yes, the powers were still there, but Sam prided himself on being the King of Repression for more then just his less-then-pure feelings towards his brother.

Sadly, psychicness was easier to repress.

"I'm going to see if I can find something cold to drink," Sam announced.

Dean didn't open his eyes. "Bring me back something would ya?" he asked.

"Hmm." Sam made a non-committal noise in the back of his throat. He was glad Dean kept his eyes shut because he was sure he looked as guilty as hell. He wouldn't be back after all. Not for a while.

Sam paused in the doorway and allowed himself one last, long look at Dean, trying to memorize every feature. Who knew if he'd see him again. Sam's jaw tightened. He would. He could do this. Sam shut the door behind him and tried to hold onto that determination.

With demon contracts and possible death hanging over his head it was all in all not how Sam had imagined his return to Palo Alto would be.

_...To be continued in Part 2- IHOP: International House of Preternatural Creatures..._

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AN: Please tell if anyone would be interested in me continuing...Feed back is love! 


	2. IHOP

Title: Playing With Fire (2/?)

Fandom: Supernatural

Genre: Drama/Romance

Rating: M

Pairing: Sam/Dean

Spoilers: Season 3

Summery: Sam's got a lot of secrets and one of them may just be the key to saving Dean. Unfortunately for Sam, it's going to come at a high price.

Disclaimer: Sam, Dean, Bella, and Ruby are not mine. Kit, Kail, and Lauran are mine. Casey is also mine but if his real-life counterpart ever found out about him he's liable to break my ribs…again.

AN: This is my first Supernatural fanfic. It is also my first Wincest fanfic, but I have no qualms about booking that ticket to the Special Hell, though I'm fairly sure I already had a seat reserved for various other reasons...

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Part 2: IHOP: International House of Preternatural Creatures

Sam didn't slow to take in the sights as he re-entered Palo Alto. The press of memories was there, just at the edge of conscious thought, but he deliberately kept them at bay. It was all in the past now, nothing more then the echo of a future that was never his. The car he was driving was a blue sedan--busted up and stolen. Dean was sure to have been pissed when he discovered Sam missing, but he would have been beyond homicidal if Sam had taken the Impala. Besides, Sam wasn't really looking to give Dean an extra reason to try and track him down.

Sam didn't have to scour the city for her; he already knew where she would be. There was an IHOP near campus, a popular haunt of the undergraduate students on days after early morning tests. Sam had once been part of those victory breakfasts and it was almost on auto-pilot that he pulled into the parking lot, like it hadn't been nearly six years since he had fled with four pairs of angry eyes at his back.

It looked like every other IHOP that Sam had ever seen. Same blue tiled roof and cream-colored paint scheme, same bold sign declaring it the International House of Pancakes, and to be fair it was like every other IHOP. That just didn't stop Sam from staring at it like it was another Devil's Gate getting ready to open.

She was exactly where he expected her to be--holding Court in the back corner-booth furthest from the door. She hadn't changed at all in the years since Sam had last seen her--not that she would of course--five foot nothing with stick straight white-blonde hair, cat-pupiled eyes hidden behind fashionable rose colored sunglasses.

Around her sat her strange Court-- collection of things that shared only their current appearance with humans for the most part. On her right sat Kailyst, who looked to be a human in his early twenties--if you discounted the eyes that were empty and glazed over like a corpse's. On her left sat Casey, another young man with shaggy dark hair and permanent smug expression. Next to him sat a cute ballerina looking girl named Lauran. With perhaps the exception of Kailyst, none of them looked especially dangerous but Sam knew well that looks were almost always deceiving.

He approached the table with deliberate footfalls, aware that she had probably known it as soon as he was within fifty miles. She looked up at him with obvious amusement.

"Samuel," she purred and there was the undertone of embers and smoke in the sound.

"Kit," he greeted her neutrally, somewhat encouraged by the fact that she hadn't tried to kill him yet.

"What could possibly bring the mighty Samuel Winchester to my table looking like someone just ran over his puppy?" Kit asked, her grin not so much serpentine as akin to a feral hyena.

"It's an improvement on what he looked like when he left," Casey muttered not quite quietly. Sam ignored him and Kit didn't call a reprimand; Casey was the only one allowed to get away with things like that.

"I need your help," he said bluntly. There was no point in trying to dance around the point. It would only make it easier for her to twist things around on him.

She arched a delicate eyebrow and let the sunglasses slide down her nose revealing the unnatural eyes. She regarded him steadily and waited for him to explain.

"It's my brother," Sam began, trying to think of a way to say it so it sounded like something she would actually care about.

Kit surprised him by leaning forward. "The infamous Dean, of course, I should have expected as much."

"It's not our problem," Casey snapped. "Never should be."

"Hush," Kit said sharply, without looking at him. She cocked her head at Sam. "What exactly does your brother need help with, Samuel?"

Someone else answered before Sam could. "He got himself into a deal with a demon and Sammy here is trying to get him out."

Sam knew he shouldn't feel surprised as he watched Ruby slide into the booth next to Kailyst who paid her no attention. Ruby was odd as far a demons went and Kit loved collecting odd things.

"Why am I so surprised?" He asked rhetorically as Ruby grinned at him.

Kit laughed, a sounded that echoed with the crackle of flames. "Samuel did you really think that I haven't kept track of you all these years?" She shook her head, clearly amused. "You are far too interesting to just let go."

It wasn't a comfortable thought even if he'd had suspicions as to it before. He turned to Ruby, "Have you been working for her this whole time?"

"No, but she made me an offer to be part of her Court. No one would refuse a chance like that," she paused for a moment, "well except for you."

* * *

When night fell and Sam hadn't turned up, Dean was pissed. He tried Sam's phone only to find it lying on the other bed. That made using it to track him impossible. Dean right away made a search of all the local bars, convenience stores, coffee shops, hell even libraries, within walking distance but no Sam.

It wasn't until dawn stained the sky that anger gave way to worry. It wasn't like Sam to just disappear for this long and certainly not without his phone. His first panicked reaction was that Sam had done something to try and break the deal and was lying dead somewhere. Dean forced himself to take a few steadying breaths and reminded himself that if Sam had been found out and voided the deal, he would already be in hell.

Sam had to be fine and he couldn't be too far--after all the Impala and all his things were still here--but Dean couldn't quite shake the feeling that Sam's disappearance and his deal were somehow related.

By that night, however, Dean concluded that Sam was no where in Phoenix.

Dean called Bobby.

"Dean it's good to hear from you. How are things going?" Bobby greeted him immediately.

"Not real good at the moment, Bobby, Sam's missing," Dean replied.

"What? How long?" Bobby asked.

"Almost twenty-four hours, he was acting strange in the car yesterday but I just figured it was the heat and lack of sleep you know? He was still hung up on that spell, the one that we thought…" Dean's throat closed off involuntarily. He couldn't finish that sentence still.

"Do you think that might have something to do with why he disappeared?" Bobby asked.

"I don't know, Bobby. Nothing points to it--I mean he left all his books and things--but I can't shake the feeling he's doing something stupid to get me out of my deal." Dean replied, trying not to let his panic creep into his voice, Dean Winchester didn't sound panicked--and fuck, he was going to kill Sam when he found him.

"Well have you tried calling him?"

"Fuck! Of course I have. That was the first thing I did but he left his goddamn cell phone!" Dean snapped, anger feeling a bit more manageable then fear.

"Calm down, Dean. Do you have any idea where he might have gone?" Bobby asked.

"Don't you think I'd already be there if I did?"

"Look, getting pissed at me isn't going to help find Sam," Bobby rebuked him.

Dean sighed heavily. "I know, but shit Bobby, the last time he was gone this long he_died_. The time before that he was possessed, and I don't have a lot of fucking time left." It sounded weird to say it out loud to someone other then Sam, but there it was. He'd be in Hell by midsummer.

"Did Sam say anything about your deal yesterday? Anything about new ideas?" Bobby asked, tactfully sidestepping Dean's statement.

"No, he was going on about fucking frogs!"

"Frogs?"

"Yeah, he said something about trying to…" Dean trailed off as an icy feeling settled into his gut.

"Dean?" Bobby prompted.

"He was talking about what could go wrong if he tried re-write that spell," Dean replied slowly.

"Shit," Bobby swore. "Sam should fucking know better. Best-case scenario you'd both wind up dead."

"Shit," Dean agreed. He was going to fucking crucify Sam when he found him.

"Call Bella. If he's going to attempt a re-write he'll still need that artifact." Bobby said.

"Like she'll answer. She already has the Colt, what else could I offer her? My soul's already spoken for." Dean snarled.

"It's your best shot," Bobby was unfazed.

"Damnit! I'll call you when I know something." He hung up.

Dean punched the wall viciously. "Fuck you Sam!" He yelled. "How could you leave me now? How fucking could you?"

* * *

Kit ignored Ruby's statement and continued to focus on Sam.

"So," she said, easing back to lounge in the booth like a throne. "You want me to jeopardize my neutrality to get you brother out of some idiot deal he got into all on his own? That's a pretty tall order, Samuel."

"You could do it," Sam pointed out, not ready to reveal his hand just yet.

"Oh, easily, but why should I? as a favor to you? Things don't work that way. Tit for tat, Samuel, and your already in debt to me aren't you?" she replied.

Sam didn't look away. "It didn't work. That bargain is void," he replied.

Kit smirked. "I get to be the judge of that. Still, that is a separate issue. Sit, and we can discuss terms if I decide to do this." She indicated the chair across from her.

Sam swallowed heavily and sat down. It wasn't a deal with a demon, but it had the potential in so many ways to be far worse.

Almost immediately a waitress brought out a plate of pancakes topped with strawberries and whipped cream. It was what Sam had always eaten here. Kit's casual manipulation of humans unnerved him, but hunger won out.

"It's good to see you again, Sam." Lauran spoke, her voice quiet but not timid. Kit had turned her attention to her own pancakes for the moment giving the others tacit permission to address Sam.

Sam gave her a thin but genuine smile, he'd always gotten along with Lauran well enough.

"Though I gather you're not thrilled to be here," she continued. "I'm sorry about what happened to Jess." The sympathy was genuine.

"Thanks," Sam said shortly, though the thought only caused a faint echo of pain now.

Casey snorted. "Personally I think you are a moron."

"Oh really?" Sam asked disinterestedly, trying to concentrate on his pancakes and not the five--things--across the table from him. It was surprisingly easy to fall back into his old patterns of behavior around them.

"Running does you no good. I thought you would have learned that by now." Casey added.

"I didn't ask for a lecture on my life, Casey." Sam said pointedly.

"Of course not, but, since I'm awesome that way, you get it anyway."

Kailyst gave a harsh cough of laughter but did not comment. He'd rarely said more then four words a day in Sam's memory.

"I'll pass, thanks anyway." Sam replied blandly.

"So, Sam, I'm curious," Ruby said, breaking into the conversation. "What was your first bargain with Kit?"

Sam looked away. "None of your business that's what."

"Let it go, Ruby," Kit spoke again at last. "Alright Sam, I'll break Dean's deal, but there is a price."

Sam nodded. He knew what it would be already. Kit knew he would do _anything_ to get Dean out of the deal, and she was going to use that to get what she had always wanted out of him.

"Serve in my Court for a year and day, no repressing you powers and no arguing about jobs." Kit said flatly.

"I won't…" Sam started but she held up her hand.

"I'm not asking you to abide by the Laws of Neutrality, Samuel. You wont have to do anything that might offend your tender sensibilities," Kit replied. "but the other Laws still apply."

"Honesty and Celibacy," Sam stated.

"Yes. That means speaking the absolute truth to anyone for a year and a day." Kit's smile widened. "That includes your brother."

Sam winced. There were far too may secrets he had no intention of Dean ever finding out about, the fact that he lusted after him only being the top of the list. Kit knew them all of course, she was extremely cavalier about rummaging through people's brains, but Dean was a different matter.

He realized that she would most likely do the same to Dean when they went to break the deal. That was something he wasn't going to allow. It would be his only small effort to protect his brother from Kit.

"Fine, but Dean's head is off limits. You can supply the power and the expertise but you go nowhere in his head I don't go." Sam replied firmly.

"My, so protective," Kit remarked, clearly amused. "It's a bargain, Samuel."

Sam offered his left palm. Kit took it and dug her nail deep into the skin, scarring a complex sigil into it. Sam tried to look away as his blood dripped onto her pancakes in a twisted parody of syrup.

…_To be continued in Part 3: Honesty is Not Always the Best Policy…_

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AN: thanks for all the comments on my first post! Hope this is enjoyed as well!

any guesses on what Kit is yet?


	3. Honesty is Not Always the Best Policy

Title: Playing With Fire (3?)

Fandom: Supernatural

Genre: Drama/Romance

Rating: M

Pairing: Sam/Dean

Spoilers: Season 3

Summery: Sam's got a lot of secrets and one of them may just be the key to saving Dean. Unfortunately for Sam, it's going to come at a high price.

Disclaimer: Sam, Dean, Bella, and Ruby are not mine. Kit, Kail, and Lauran are mine. Casey is also mine but if his real-life counterpart ever found out about him he's liable to break my ribs…again.

AN: This is my first Supernatural fanfic. It is also my first Wincest fanfic, but I have no qualms about booking that ticket to the Special Hell, though I'm fairly sure I already had a seat reserved for various other reasons...

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Part 3: Honesty is Not Always the Best Policy

While IHOP might have been where Kit held Court most days, she lived in a large manor house about five blocks away. As part of her Court now, it would be Sam's home as well. It had been so long since he had lived anywhere with any sort of permanence--discounting the Impala-- that Sam was surprised at the warm feeling of stability that he felt as he walked into the house he had not seen since his freshman year of college.

"Home, sweet, home," Ruby remarked, coming to stand next to Sam. "Novel for you and me isn't it?"

Sam just made a non-committal noise and followed Kit up the stairs. He wasn't sure if he trusted Ruby more or less now that he knew she was in Kit's employ.

The stairway was dark and devoid of the pictures and paintings normally found on the walls in other homes. It was those little missing details that had always served as a constant reminder that nothing truly _human_ lived here. Kit hadn't spoken to him since leaving the restaurant and Sam hadn't tried to initiate conversation either. For one thing, he had no real interest in talking to something that viewed conversations as some strange sorta of chess game and for another it was against Protocol for him to speak out of turn. Sam sighed and tried not to think about all the rules and regulations that were a part of Kit's Court. He had never been good at following orders but when a breaking Protocol could very well result in losing his only hope of saving Dean then Sam figured he could tough it out. It was only for a year after all and Sam had survived that long before.

The upper story of Kit's manor house was as dark as the rest. There were lights of course but Sam highly doubted they had ever been used since none of the others required them to navigate. A lifetime of hunting things in the dark had given Sam enough night-sight to get by as well but the oppressive darkness made the manor seem more like a dungeon and less like a house, though considering what he was following that was hardly surprising.

"You can have your old room, Samuel," Kit said stopping at the second door on the left. "I noticed you seem to have forgotten to pack but there is some of your old things in there that you can use for now. I'll see about getting more tomorrow," she added.

"Thanks," Sam said shortly, though he had expected no less; Kit had always taken care of her own.

She smiled and cocked her head at him. "Second thoughts, Samuel?"

Sam shook his head. "I finished having second thoughts about forty miles out of Phoenix. I have to save my brother--end of story."

Kit made and amused_thrumming_ noise in the back of her throat, the inhuman vocalization making the hairs on the back of Sam's neck stand up. "I hardly think that's the end of the story and we both know where the beginning is."

Sam looked away. He hated the constant reminders of just exactly how much Kit knew about him. She knew that, but seemed to take a perverse enjoyment in it.

Kit gave another_thrum_ of amusement. "You still feel guilty don't you? Even after all these years?"

Sam looked back at her, his eyes haunted. "It's not something I ever expect to be forgiven for."

Kit tilted her head the other way and peered up at him through white-blonde bangs. "Perhaps, but you wont ever know that will you?" she replied. "Sleep well, Samuel. We'll start working on breaking the contract tomorrow."

Sam nodded mutely and forced himself to wait until Kit had disappeared back downstairs before entering his room. Protocol, it would take some getting used to again.

The room had not changed in the six years he'd been gone. The same dark chest-of-drawers along the right wall with the same single bed pushed up underneath the sole window. Even the random posters that Sam had put up to bring a touch of humanity to the otherwise hospital-bare room still remained exactly as they were. It was if this room had been perpetually frozen in 2002. Considering that he'd never had a good grasp on exactly what Kit could or could not do, that was not an entirely comfortable thought.

Gingerly Sam sat down on the bed and tried to erase the feeling that he was eighteen again, far from his family and clinging to the few people he could understand, if not necessarily trust.

His confused reverie was broken by the sound of the door slamming open to admit Lauran, Casey, Kailyst and Ruby all carrying an assortment of alcohol, plates, cups, and cake.

"Welcome back, Sam," Lauran said happily.

"I figured you'd be up here mopping so we brought booze," Casey added, smirking at Sam's rather irritated expression. "I remember how broody you get if left alone to long."

"Nosey," Kailyst said, voice rough from constant disuse, as his glassy eyes narrowed at Casey. The two had always cheerfully hated each other, Sam never bothered to find out why.

"Of course I am. It's part of my job description. Anyway the cake was Lauran's idea." Casey replied.

"You can't have a party without cake," Lauran defended.

Sam couldn't stop the reluctant smile from forming on his face as they bickered. They had been his friends once, and despite a rather monumental betrayal on his part, they seem perfectly content to carry on as if nothing had happened. That was life according to the Court; if you were part of it, you stuck by each other no matter what. Mostly because you didn't have anyone else. It was when you left that they tended to try and kill you.

"So, I take it moping is not allowed?" Sam asked. It was an acceptance of an agreement: we'll be friends again for now.

"Not until we've had much more alcohol," Casey said firmly as they used the top of the dresser to lay out the food.

Sam accepted his cup with slight grimace knowing that the only alcohol Casey tended to keep around was homemade moonshine or absinthe. "Does this even effect you?" He asked.

"It does me, and Lauran has the alcohol tolerance of a maybe a goldfish, but no so much Ruby or Kail." Casey replied.

"It's not my fault!" Lauran said indignantly. "I'm just sensitive to things like that."

Casey just smirked, unrepentant, and slung a companionable arm around her shoulders. He was the only one who could touch Lauran with out causing her extreme discomfort, well Sam had been able to once as well but that was before Jess.

"Might not be your fault but the idea is still pretty funny," Ruby said from across the room where she lounged against the wall next to Kailyst.

Sam privately had to agree that thought of a drunk unicorn, even if she was human shaped at the moment, was pretty amusing. With a slight smile Sam downed his glass in a symbolic gesture. This would be his life for a while, it was best to just accept that and try not to make himself to miserable. It was too late to back out now--and Kit wouldn't hesitate to kill him if he backed out of another bargain.

The clear liquid burned down his throat--it was Casey's moonshine for certain--and hit his stomach like a solid kick. Casey refilled his glass immediately.

"That's the spirit!" Casey encouraged. "Or spirits as the case may be."

Sam glared at him. "Casey, shut up."

"Nah, don't think I want too," came the usual smart-assed reply.

Sam rolled his eyes and resisted the urge to smack him while his arm was still around Lauran.

"To Sam," Lauran toasted, raising her glass. 

"And to this brother we've all heard about but never met," Casey added cheekily, ever determined to be as insufferable as possible.

Sam glared at him but knew that there was no force behind it. The moonshine was burning throughout his veins and his vision had already taken on that pleasant haze. The alcohol had another effect as well, all the walls that he so carefully maintained were burned away by the questionable liquor and Sam felt the constantly repressed tide of power rise to simmer just below the surface. It was sickening and heady and addicting all at once.

He raised his glass. "To Dean, for always trying to save his little brother and never knowing that he was already lost," Sam said at last.

"All of us are lost," Kailyst agreed. "It's why Kitaline chose us." It was the longest speech Sam ever remembered him making and the truth of the words made him shiver unexpectedly.

"I'll drink to that," Casey said solemnly, all traces of levity gone.

"To the Lost," Ruby raised her glass and drank. The others followed suit.

* * *

The next morning dawned clear and bright, another relentlessly sunny Californian day. The house was eerily silent signaling that the others were already gone. Sam groaned and picked himself up off of the floor where he had apparently passed out the night before. He was luckily without the pounding headache that usually accompanied such mornings after but his vision was slightly blurred and he felt feverish. The awareness that his power still swirled just below the surface of his skin was also not helping the _sick/hot_ feeling. Carefully he tried to reconstruct the barrier but the mental walls crumbled as fast as he put them up.

Sam glanced over to the half eaten cake and the empty bottles if booze on the dresser. They had finished off all of the moonshine in short order and then moved on to the absinthe. Sam mentally cursed as he realized his own stupidity--absinthe contained wormwood and wormwood would definitely disrupt his control over his powers. Casey knew that of course, it did the same thing to his abilities, so that meant that the drugging was intentional though probably not malicious. 

Kit's version of an gentle reminder as to their agreement.

Sam sighed again at the predicament he'd gotten himself into. Dean was going to kill him.

'_Samuel?'_ Kit's voice in his head startled him and Sam winced. The undertone of fire and smoke was more pronounced mind to mind and the tonal variations even less human.

"What do you want Kit?" he asked aloud, knowing that trying to reply the same way while the wormwood was in his system was a bad idea.

'_When you are ready we can discuss your brother's contract.'_ Kit replied, amusement at his tone and mood carrying over clear. _'I've left a motorcycle out front for your use.'_

"Was sending Casey to drug me really necessary?" Sam snapped irritably.

'_Believe it or not, but the wormwood was for your own good.'_ Kit said.

"What?" Sam replied, twisting his head this way and that, not at all comfortable with talking to someone he couldn't see.

'_You have a lot of power, Samuel, and your body is not use to handling it--remember your headaches? The wormwood will keep it in check until you build up more of a tolerance.'_ Kit's answer was sincere. She couldn't lie anymore then Sam could now.

Sam felt the anger drain out of him. "You could have _told _me that," he muttered.

'_I apologize, next time I will tell you before I send Casey to drug you,'_ came the response.

"I should call Dean before he tears apart the country looking for me," Sam said, changing the subject.

'_If you think you should. Either way it will take a few months preparation to break the contract. I have my own Laws I have to abide by.'_ Kit replied disinterestedly.

"Dean doesn't have a few months, we've got less than four." Sam pointed out.

'_We?'_ the amusement was back.

"You know what I meant," Sam replied.

'_I do, it's you I'm not so sure about, Samuel. Would you have followed him I wonder?'_ Kit mused.

"Kit, how long will this take?" Sam was not about to have this discussion with her.

'_Close to three months by my estimate. It's a good thing you came to me when you did.'_ Kit said and withdrew from his mind.

Sam wasn't sure he considered a good thing. It just happened to be the only thing. He headed downstairs and tried to ignore the taste of charcoal in his mouth that came with Kit's invasions of his head. He walked into the kitchen, turning on the lights out of sheer defiance, and picked up the sole, unused phone.

Calling Dean was going to be interesting, mostly because he was going to have to watch what he said very carefully. The was no magical gag that stopped him from lying, Sam was still fully capable, but a single falsehood would void the bargain and Dean's soul would be lost. Sam had to remain within the bounds of Protocol though will alone, which was a lot harder. Lying wasn't something he's ever been particularly proud of but it was second nature to someone in his line of work and there was a lot he didn't want Dean to know about Kit and the bargain he had made.

He dialed Dean's number with shaky hands.

* * *

Dean had just made his mind up to call Bella and convince her to help him when his phone rang causing him to jump and eye it suspiciously for a moment. The number displayed on the caller ID was unfamiliar but carried a California area code.

"Hello?" Dean answered cautiously.

"Dean?" Sam's voice on the other end of the line was exhausted, raw, and about the best thing Dean had ever heard.

"Sammy? Where the hell are you?" Dean asked, frantic. "Are you okay?"

There was a pause. "I'm in California," Sam answered at last.

"Are you hurt?" Dean didn't like the vagueness of the reply. His first priority was to make sure Sam was _okay_ because he didn't sound like himself.

There was another hesitation, as if Sam was weighing every sentence carefully. "I'm okay."

Well, alright, Sam was okay. "What the fuck then, Sam?" Dean could move on to priority number two; ripping Sam an new one.

More silence, then, "I found a way out of your deal."

Dean's angry tirade froze on his lips. "What?" His stomach felt heavy. "Sam, what did you do?"

"Don't worry about it. The important thing is that it will work." Sam replied evasively.

"Don't worry about it?" Dean snapped. "You disappear for two fucking days and you say don't worry about it? Tell me where you are, I'm coming to get you."

"No!" Sam's voice went from evasive to fearful. "Look just stay away. I'll call when we're ready."

"We? What the hell have you been up to?" Something was very wrong and the sick feeling in the pit of Dean's stomach worsened.

"Look all you need to do is lay low for a couple months until I call. Please, Dean, just trust me on this," Sam's voice was desperate.

"No, Sam, I want you to tell me what the hell you did and then I'm going to kick your ass!" Dean was beyond worried and beyond pissed off now.

"Look, I made a bargain okay? My soul is safe and yours is too but I don't want you around until it's absolutely necessary." Sam replied after a painfully long moment of silence.

"You did what!" Dean wasn't sure if he wanted to punch Sam or throw up. "What's wrong with you?"

"You have no room to talk," Sam snarled.

"I did it to save your life Sam!" Dean shouted.

"Why the hell do you think I'm doing this?" Sam replied heatedly. "Next time you should just let me stay dead."

Dean fought back the memory of Sam's lifeless body, bile rising in his throat. "Fuck you, you ungrateful bastard!"

The exclamation was followed by a ringing silence on both ends. 

Sam's next words were clipped and bland. "Just wait for me to call." The line went dead.

Dean dropped the phone on the bed and threw a few more vicious punches at the wall, stopping only when his knuckles were torn and bleeding. Angry tears pricked at the corners of his eyes and he fought down a wave of nausea. If Dean wanted to look for him he had a starting place at least but Sam's words echoed in his head. 

_I don't want you around until it's necessary. Just wail for me to call_.

California, where Sam had vanished to all those years before with angry words in his wake.

_I don't want you around._

Somehow, deep down, Dean knew he was in Palo Alto again.

…_to be continued in Part 4: Abstinence and Absinthe… _

* * *

AN: Well that turned out a little more angsty then I expected...

So any guess yet as to what Kit is? A cookie to the person who guesses.


	4. Abstinence and Absinthe

Title: Playing With Fire (4/?)

Fandom: Supernatural

Genre: Drama/Romance

Rating: M

Pairing: Sam/Dean

Spoilers: Season 3

Summery: Sam's got a lot of secrets and one of them may just be the key to saving Dean. Unfortunately for Sam, it's going to come at a high price.

Disclaimer: Sam, Dean, Bella, and Ruby are not mine. Kit, Kail, and Lauran are mine. Casey is also mine but if his real-life counterpart ever found out about him he's liable to break my ribs…again.

AN: This is my first Supernatural fanfic. It is also my first Wincest fanfic, but I have no qualms about booking that ticket to the Special Hell, though I'm fairly sure I already had a seat reserved for various other reasons...

* * *

Part 4: Abstinence and Absinthe

Kit's plan to break the contract was devastatingly simple in theory but Sam could see why she had said it would take months of preparation. While the ritual itself would probably take no more than a few hours tops, the amount of research and planning would take much longer to complete.

The basement level of Kit's manor had always acted as a salle for combat training. While Sam didn't know much about their pasts, both Kailyst and Casey had been warriors at one point or another. It was evidenced by the ease they wielded an assortment of weaponry. It was the familiarity that Sam knew from experience came only from long years of training. Now the floor Sam had spent four months sparring against them on was overrun. Every available inch of floor space was covered in books and notes detailing demon sigls, spell-runes and ingredient lists as Sam began the painstaking process of trying to piece together possibly one of the most complicated Devil's Traps ever conceived.

Casey whistled, coming down the stairs to check on Sam's progress. Casey, despite being one of the most annoying people ever was also one of the most understanding. One of his main abilities was sensing and occasionally manipulating human emotion and as such he understood, and sympathized, with a lot more then most people would give him credit for. It was the fact that he was good at what he did that let him get away with being a total jackass any other time.

Besides, Sam was extremely use to people who used smart assed remarks to cover their own feelings.

"Trust you to turn the salle into a library," Casey said, nudging at a pile of books with his foot.

Sam highlighted a passage he though might be useful before replying. "The pen is mightier then the sword."

Casey snorted. "I'd like to see a pen cut someone in half."

Sam sat up and rubbed at his neck to try and ease some of the tension there. "Have you ever seen _anyone_ cut in half?" he asked.

"Sure, I saw Kail do it once back before he was, ya know, dead. Sliced them right through above the hips and there were all these broken ends of intestines hanging out. It was pretty gruesome. I never saw Kit laugh so hard in my life." Casey replied, carefully stepping around Sam's accumulated notes and book piles.

"I'm not even going to ask why that was funny," Sam said, copying down a section of a spell-rune he wanted to weave into the Trap. He was slightly sorry he asked.

In typical Casey fashion, he explained it anyways. "The guy was totally hitting on her--not that they called it that back then--and Kail gets seriously scary when he's jealous. Of course, back then, breathing wrong made Kail homicidal. Death really mellows a guy out let me tell you."

Sam just shook his head. He had never really understood the strange triangle that was Kit, Kailyst and Casey nor had he ever really cared to. "Was there a reason you came down here?"

"Oh yeah," Casey snapped his fingers. "Kit wanted me to take you out back and start going through some training drills since at least some of my powers work the same way as yours."

Sam wasn't really keen on the idea of stopping since every second counted towards saving Dean, but he knew better then to argue. Still he was dreading the drills and the subsequent drugging that would keep him down for most of the night. Sam winced as he stood up, cramped muscles protesting after hours of sitting in the same position.

"You worked all night didn't you?" Casey asked.

"I'm on a time schedule, I need to work as fast as I can," Sam pointed out.

Casey shrugged. "I don't care one way or another but Lauran's been a bit worried. Last time you got this obsessive over something…well you remember that time at least."

Sam sighed. "It's not like that, really, not this time. I've made my peace with that."

"It was Dean then and it's Dean now, lie to yourself as much as you want but you're still bleeding inside because of him." Casey said. "Hell it was him all along, in a way. You might not remember but Lauran and I do. When Kit brought you in--hell, Sam, it took all three of us to keep you alive and Kail to keep you from killing anyone in a five block radius."

Sam stopped. "_That_ had nothing to do with Dean," he said slowly.

Casey paused mid-step. "So she never told you then?"

Sam tried to swallow around the sudden lump of dread in his throat. "Who told me what?"

"Kitaline. She never told you why she didn't just put you down that night? You were going to die anyway. She never told you why she risked all of us to save you?" Casey turned to face him incredulously. "Hell, you breaking the bargain makes a lot more sense now."

"Casey, what are you talking about?" Sam ground out.

Casey quickly shook his head. "Uh-uh, I'm not saying anything else. Ask Kit, I'm way out of Protocol saying what I did."

Sam frowned, the sick feeling making it's way into the pit of his stomach. "Casey, was Dean--did I do anything to him?"

"What? No. I mean you kept calling out for him while you were delirious and dying but, look, you just have to ask Kit. C'mon let's just run through the basics I taught you before." Casey practically fled upstairs.

Sam followed more slowly. He'd never really given much thought to why Kit had saved his life that night. Mostly, he tried not to think about that night much at all. He didn't know to this day how he had ended up in that alleyway, he had his suspicions of course, but there was a gap in his memory where that day had been and he'd always been happier not thinking about it. He had always just assumed that Kit had happened across him and decided to add to her collection. The thought that there was an actual motive had never crossed his mind. That the motive somehow involved _Dean_ was downright troubling.

* * *

Dean had the Impala pointed towards California and the engine gunned before he was fully aware of what he was doing. He wasn't sure what his plan was, beyond finding Sam and punching him a few times, but he wasn't about to just sit there and wait for a phone call like some dutiful housewife. He had no hard proof that Sam was even in Palo Alto, just a hunch. But in his line of work hunches were more often then not all you had to go on and you learned to trust them.

He was quite certain that Palo Alto was some sort of demonic nexus set up specifically to cause pain to the Winchesters. It had taken Sam from him all those years ago and had in turn taken Jess form Sam. Now once again dean found himself driving back there to rescue his brother form whatever hellish situation the place had set up for them this time.

Dean pulled to a stop outside Sam's old apartment. It was completely rebuilt now, no signs remained of the fire that had claimed Jessica's life and destroyed Sam's dreams of normalcy. He didn't really think that Sam was here, in fact he knew Sam wasn't here, but he had no other place to start. The memory of that night played in his mind. He had pulled Sam out of a fire for the second time that night, because he had dragged him away selfishly. It seemed to drive the point home to him; Sam was his to protect but was never to be _his_.

A knock on his window startled him from his thoughts. A petite girl, maybe a hair over five feet tall, with white-blonde hair and rose colored sunglasses stood there. She was pretty, Dean noted reflexively as he rolled down his window. She crossed her arms a slight, inviting smile playing about her lips.

"You lost?" She asked. There was an odd lilt to her voice that Dean couldn't quite place, the cadence of her speech a little off somehow.

"I'm looking for someone actually," Dean replied. "Maybe you could help me?"

The smile widened. "I'd be happy to help. Who are you looking for? I know most people around here."

"My brother, he--uh--used to go to school here." Dean replied. "Think he's back here for a few days."

She tilted her head. "Well you could try the IHOP near campus. A lot of the students hang there."

There was something off in the way she moved and Dean's instincts suddenly kicked back in. "Uh, thanks I got it from here."

She tilted her head in the other direction, like a bird studying it's prey. "How very interesting. I'm actually somewhat impressed, the infamous Dean Winchester at last."

Dean had his glock in her face before she finished the last syllable of his name. "Who the hell are you?"

She continued to smile, obviously not the least bit worried about the gun. "You can call me Kitaline or Kit, I doubt you could pronounce my real name even if I cared to give it too you." She said. "It's nice to finally meet you in person, I get all my information second hand from Samuel and Ruby and they have understandable bias in their perceptions."

Dean froze at the sound of his brother's name. "Sam? Where's my brother?"

"At IHOP with the others, I doubt he's in much condition to talk at the moment, but I can take you there if you like." She replied.

Dean's jaw clenched. "What did you do to him?" He demanded.

She seemed amused by his tone. "Nothing that wasn't necessary. Do you want to drive? I could take us there myself but I doubt you'd trust me to do so."

Dean was certain letting her into his car was all kinds of bad but getting to Sam overrode anything else. Dean gritted his teeth. "I'll drive, and so help me god if you've hurt my brother, I'll end you--whatever you are."

She laughed, an unnatural sound that sent shivers down Dean's spine. "I think that this will be the most fun I've had in centuries." She walked around the car and slid into the passenger side. She pulled her glasses off and fixed Dean with a cat-pupiled stare. There were too many eerie similarities to the yellow-eyed demon in that blue-gold look, and Dean felt goose bumps prickle on his arms.

"You'll want to take a left at the first light," She said, settling back into her seat.

Dean pulled out onto the road, keeping a careful watch on her out of the cornier of his eye.

"I'm actually quite curious about you Dean Winchester, and it's irritating not being able to poke around in your head." She remarked conversationally. "Still, I have to abide by my own terms of the bargain."

"Bargain?" Dean asked, unsure of what exactly he was supposed to do in this situation but deciding that finding out as much information as he could was probably good.

"Yes, part of Samuel's terms was that I was to stay out of your head at least until our bargain is up." Kit replied.

"What was your bargain?" Dean asked, not liking the feeling that he was more likely to get answers out of this thing in his car then Sam.

"The gist of it? I help break your contract and Samuel serves in my Court for a year and a day." Kit answered "It's a good bargain all around, at least as far as I'm concerned. I much prefer Samuel close enough to keep an eye on, going through Ruby was troublesome. Turn right here."

Dean pulled into the parking lot of the IHOP uncertainly. He wasn't sure what kind of creature frequented crappy restaurant chains and the juxtaposition of the supernatural and the mundane put him off-balance. Dean much preferred his evil a little more brimstone and a little less breakfast.

He followed her into the restaurant tensely, ready for something to jump out at him any second. At least he did until he spotted Sam. His brother looked like hell, to put it mildly. There were dark circles under his eyes and he was too pale. The unfocused look of his gaze made it obvious that he was drugged. Dean made as if to bolt over to him only to be stopped by an invisible wall thrown up in his face. It took him a moment to realize that Kit was not the source of the wall but, rather, it was the dark haired young man who had appeared at his right.

"Casey?" Kit asked, regarding the newcomer with a look of fond amusement.

"I'd keep him away from Sam. The wormwood is playing merry hell with his head right now and it wouldn't take much to set him off."

"I understand your concern, Casey, but it will be fine." Kit said.

Casey snorted. "Concern?" He said venomously, glaring in Dean's direction. "I'd be just as happy to have never had to lay eyes on this sonofabitch and I'm not about to let him fuck with Sam."

Kit's eyes narrowed. "Casey, enough. I've made my decision and I wont tolerate any more breeches of Protocol from you."

Casey's shoulders slumped and Dean felt the wall vanish. "Of course," he said stiffly. "May I withdraw, then?" He asked formally.

Kit nodded dismissively and the young man exited with a final glare in Dean's direction.

Dean approached the table cautiously but the only other occupant was a familiar, though not welcome, sight.

"Dean," Ruby greeted him neutrally from her position next to Sam.

Dean ignored her and reached across the table for his brother. Sam blinked at him blearily but there was no recognition in the glazed eyes. "What the hell is wrong with him?"

Ruby shrugged. "Nothing really, he was running drills with Casey all morning so we drugged him up so his body wouldn't go into reaction-shock. It'll wear off in an hour or so."

Dean just stared around in utter confusion. "What the fuck is going on?"

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Just sit down, Dean. No one is going to hurt you, despite how badly Casey may want to, and Sam is just fine…if a little out of it at the moment."

Dean slid into the booth noticing that Kit too had vanished. He pulled Sam away from Ruby, checking him over for any sort of injury. The only visible wound was a design cut deep into Sam's left palm. It almost looked to be some type of cuneiform. Sam hissed as Dean touched it but otherwise made no acknowledgement of his presence.

"What's this?" he asked Ruby who was watching him with a carefully blank expression.

"Kit's binding sigl. We all have one." She held up her left palm to show an identical scar.

"What kind of demon is she?" Dean asked.

Ruby smiled. "No kind, she's not a demon at all."

"What?"

"She's a dragon." Ruby replied.

"What?" Dean repeated, dumfounded.

Ruby just smirked.

"Like a fire-breathing, treasure-hoarding, lizard dragon?"

"Not quite so medieval, save-the-princess, but yes." Ruby confirmed. "She's not the oldest I don't think but she's older then most demons and a lot more powerful."

Dean swallowed. "Dragons are real?"

"Dean?" Sam's slurred voice snapped Dean's attention back to him.

"I'm right here, Sammy," Dean said.

Sam frowned. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to fight with you. I don't really want to be dead." he slurred.

"Shhh, Sammy, I know you didn't mean it like that." Dean soothed, pulling his brother in close.

Sam buried his face in Dean's neck. "You shouldn't be here. You aren't supposed to know." Sam muttered.

Dean ran his fingers through Sam's untidy mop of hair. "I'm not supposed to know what?"

"'bout Kit. She knows to much. I don't want to lose you." Sam said.

"Sam, you're not making any sense."

"I have to keep that secret, I have to. I made them promise too." Sam said lifting his head to stare at Dean.

"He's delirious," Ruby said. "Side effect of the wormwood."

"Why the hell did you give him wormwood in the first place?" Dean snapped. "It's poisonous."

"Not to Sam, at least not in the way you think. As long as his powers are busy fighting off the wormwood they can't turn tail and attack Sam's body. He doesn't have the tolerance right now." Ruby explained with a shrug.

"Powers?" Dean asked.

"You didn't really think they were gone did you?" Ruby asked.

"Not supposed to tell," Sam said suddenly. "I'm not supposed to tell Dean."

"Not supposed to tell me what, Sam?" Dean asked, trying to get his brother to focus on him.

Sam shook his head and turned his unsteady gaze on Ruby. "You have to make sure I don't tell Dean."

"You better shut up then, 'cause you are a talkative drunk." Ruby advised.

Sam nodded and buried his face in Dean's shoulder again. "Dean always smells nice."

Dean made an undignified choking noise at the comment.

"We'd better get him back to the Manor." Ruby said. "Before he comes to his senses anymore."

"Why?" Dean ask suspiciously.

"Because he's not going to be happy that you are here. He doesn't want you around Kit." Ruby said sliding out of the booth.

"Kit's not safe to be around," Sam agreed, his voice still slurred. "He can find me with her and he knows Dean in my weak spot." He said conspiratorially.

Ruby frowned at that. "Who Sam?"

"Bane," Sam whispered.

Ruby paled slightly as if a missing piece of an unhappy puzzle just fell into place. "Shit."

…._to be continued in Part 5: Blood and Bone…_

* * *

AN: and chapter four finally….whew!


End file.
